LETTERS
To the Editor:

I was privileged to be invited to a recent meeting called by a most gracious and charming lady, Mrs. Jane Gavin, whose aged Irish Setter 'Rhue' was caught outside of the protection of her property, and indiscriminately euthanized by an Animal Control person of now questionable judgment. The lunchtime meeting was in a corner coffee shop in mid-Blue Ridge, and was as charming as the lady who convoked it. Blue Ridge is of improving beauty.

I'm glad that I'm not the one who put down Mrs. Gavin's dog, her friend and companion, as together they shared the autumn of their lives. In the finest tradition of WW II Normandy Invasion hero General James M. Gavin, Commander of the All American 82nd Airborne Division, Mrs. Gavin wants justice; she wants the man who killed her dog discharged from his employment in the Fannin County Animal Control facility. She and others present at the luncheon meeting expressed strong feelings regarding not only the man's unsuitability for any position in Animal Control, or in any capacity calling for humane treatment of defenseless, domestic animals, but the failure of Fannin County elected officials to accept the premises and conclusion of animal rights advocates. They seemed to feel that someone at the top of the county commission may be abdicating his responsibility to take an action the execution of which may cause him a degree of fear and trepidation. I see nothing reminiscent of Profiles in Courage.

In my view, a relatively newly constituted Fannin County Board of Commissioners may have forgotten the circumstances surrounding the election day departure of two commissioners, both of whom seemed - again in my view - to have been totally oblivious to the conditions leading to the demise of their elective tenures. People, I think, are bothered by the roiling waters of official versus public contention, i.e. the aloofness of public officials, and their insensitivity to issues troubling to a significant social group; in turning from reality.

To be lacking in the intestinal fortitude necessary to terminate an undesirable employee indicates a basic flaw in management style. Equally so, an employer who terminates an employee as easily as some flick their cigarette ashes is not qualified for a position of responsibility. The professionally astute employer agonizes over his or her deliberations, and then does what is right. If Blue Ridge is coming of age, Fannin County may be needful of some serious introspection.

NRA vs. GOA To the Editor:

Tom McKevitt

Unless you were really following the action closely last week you may have missed the news that the House passed HR 2640 by a voice vote, and that it now goes on to the Senate. If you're not familiar with HR 2640, the fact that gun-grabbers Carolyn McCarthy (in the House) and Chuck Schumer (in the Senate) are the leading sponsors of this legislation, should tell you something. On the other hand, the fact that the NRA (National Rifle Association) also supports the effort should tell you something else. Hmmm. The NRA in bed with McCarthy & Schumer? What's going on here? Well, it's complicated, and the devil is in the details, but if the AP (Associated Press) was right when they suggested that this "could become the first major federal gun control law in over a decade," then it's worthy of our attention. The GOA (Gun Owners of America) has sided with the AP's description, and they are vehemently opposed to the legislation. Me too. I just wrote my Senators, asking them to oppose the socalled NICS Improvement Amendments Act (HR 2640), and I respectfully suggest that you consider doing the same.

Cordially, Chuck Esposito

Suches, Ga. To the Publisher:

I just read your article in my "e-newspaper". For the life of me I don't understand why you didn't take the tag number of the person who threw the cigarette out of the window and call the police. Regardless of whether it started a fire or not, it is littering and against the law. And the same for the people with the fire; there is a burn ban in effect, why didn't you report them?

It's our duty as citizens to protect our precious land and you failed to do your duty and help the law do their job. We spend only one third of our time at Lake Nottely and are totally disgusted with the trash we see and the total lack of respect for our natural resources. I don't care how these "sub-humans" live in the own homes but I do care what they do in "my space".

We do all we can to pick up the litter of others on the lake and you can be sure if we ever see littering in action, anywhere, and can get enough information to report the environmental criminals, we will do so.

Next time I hope you'll do your job as a citizen and I hope you'll print my letter to encourage other people lucky enough to live in Union County to do the same.

Twinkle Nelson Publisher's Note:

I commend the writer for taking a hard stance on people who litter. And I agree that I should have gotten the tag number and turned them in. However, I also know my vision is not the best and thus I would have had to follow them for a long time to get the tag. I also know that it wouold simply be my word against their word. After all, if the law is involved the violation must be proven and the police would have two conflicting stories. But I really understand your opinion and thank you for it.